South Carolina South Carolina Advanced Technological Advanced Technological EducationEducationCenter of ExcellenceCenter of Excellence

In touch with industryIn touch with industry

throughthrough

Engineering TechnologyEngineering Technology

EducationEducation

The Need:The Need: Tremendous Demand Tremendous Demand for for

Engineering TechniciansEngineering Technicians

Record-breaking investments in SC Record-breaking investments in SC since ’95.since ’95.

100,000 new jobs since ’95.100,000 new jobs since ’95. Shortage of engineering technicians Shortage of engineering technicians

exists nationally and in South Carolina. exists nationally and in South Carolina. More than 15,000 technology-intensive More than 15,000 technology-intensive

jobs unfilled in SC, according to SC jobs unfilled in SC, according to SC Technology Alliance.Technology Alliance.

Career OpportunitiesCareer Opportunities

Number of technician jobs projected Number of technician jobs projected to increase 20 percent from 1996 to to increase 20 percent from 1996 to 2006, according to U.S. Bureau of 2006, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor.Labor.

Nationally, median earnings for an Nationally, median earnings for an engineering technician fall between engineering technician fall between $20,200 and $20,200 and $54,800.$54,800.

Ride the ET WaveRide the ET Wave

SC Advanced Technological SC Advanced Technological Education can help students ride Education can help students ride the high-tech wave that is the high-tech wave that is revolutionizing the way the world revolutionizing the way the world does business.does business.

What do engineering technicians What do engineering technicians do?do?

Support the work of engineers and Support the work of engineers and scientists.scientists.

Work with:Work with:• Manufacturing.Manufacturing.• Engineering operation.Engineering operation.• Product design and development.Product design and development.• Process design.Process design.• Quality control.Quality control.• Production.Production.

ET careers offer :ET careers offer :

A good job with good pay.A good job with good pay. Challenges and rewards.Challenges and rewards. Teamwork.Teamwork. An opportunity to find practical An opportunity to find practical

solutions to technical problems.solutions to technical problems. A chance to implement solutions A chance to implement solutions

through hands-on activities.through hands-on activities.

The SC ATE VisionThe SC ATE Vision

Increase the quantity, quality Increase the quantity, quality

and diversity of engineering and diversity of engineering

technicians in South Carolina.technicians in South Carolina.

Tools being used to meet Tools being used to meet student learning needs.student learning needs.

Industry-modeled faculty and student Industry-modeled faculty and student teams.teams.

Learning science, mathematics, Learning science, mathematics, technology and communications in the technology and communications in the context of solving real-world industry context of solving real-world industry problems.problems.

Hands-on, active learning in the Hands-on, active learning in the classroom.classroom.

SC ATE CurriculumSC ATE Curriculum

Technology GatewayTechnology Gateway: Integrates : Integrates communications, mathematics and communications, mathematics and physics/technology and includes career physics/technology and includes career exploration. Three courses taken exploration. Three courses taken concurrently.concurrently.

First-year Engineering Technology Core: First-year Engineering Technology Core: Concurrent study of mathematics, physics, Concurrent study of mathematics, physics, communications and technology. ET Core is communications and technology. ET Core is for students enrolling in any ET major.for students enrolling in any ET major.

ET Associate Degree Programs ET Associate Degree Programs include:include:

Electronics Electronics engineering engineering technologytechnology

Engineering Engineering graphics graphics technologytechnology

Mechanical Mechanical engineering engineering technologytechnology

Civil engineering Civil engineering technologytechnology

Chemical Chemical engineering engineering technologytechnology

General General engineering engineering technologytechnology

Strengths of the SC ATE Strengths of the SC ATE ExperienceExperience

Very high student success rate.Very high student success rate. Every day answers the question Every day answers the question

“Why am I learning this?”“Why am I learning this?” Ties together the subject areas of Ties together the subject areas of

mathematics, science, engineering mathematics, science, engineering technology and communications.technology and communications.

Uses student teams to solve Uses student teams to solve industry problems.industry problems.

Strengths of SC ATEStrengths of SC ATE

Additional support is provided from Additional support is provided from instructors because they are part of instructors because they are part of a teaching team.a teaching team.

Provides more hands-on instruction, Provides more hands-on instruction, giving students an opportunity to giving students an opportunity to apply what they are learning.apply what they are learning.

Equips students for the workplace.Equips students for the workplace.

SC ATE ResultsSC ATE Results

The SC ATE approach greatly reduces The SC ATE approach greatly reduces the student dropout rate in engineering the student dropout rate in engineering technology programs.technology programs.

More than 90 percent of students who More than 90 percent of students who participated in the curriculum pilot participated in the curriculum pilot study have continued their course of study have continued their course of study and are doing well.study and are doing well.

90% of SC technical colleges plan to 90% of SC technical colleges plan to implement SC ATE within 2 years.implement SC ATE within 2 years.

Industry SupportIndustry Support

SC Department of SC Department of Commerce & SC Commerce & SC Technology Alliance Technology Alliance are state-level are state-level partners in the SC ATE partners in the SC ATE Scholars initiative.Scholars initiative.

ATE colleges and local ATE colleges and local industries are forming industries are forming Scholars consortia.Scholars consortia.

SC ATE ScholarsSC ATE Scholars

Industries offer Industries offer students competitive students competitive technical college technical college scholarships and work scholarships and work experience.experience.

Industries are involved Industries are involved in selecting students.in selecting students.

Industries will benefit Industries will benefit from more workplace-from more workplace-ready technicians.ready technicians.

ATE student comments:ATE student comments:

““I think if you know how everything fits I think if you know how everything fits together and how you will use it that it together and how you will use it that it will be easier to learn and remember.”will be easier to learn and remember.”

““The integrated curriculum has The integrated curriculum has prepared me so that I will be able to prepared me so that I will be able to apply what I have learned to my job apply what I have learned to my job and have a better understanding of and have a better understanding of what is expected of me.”what is expected of me.”

SC ATE Center of ExcellenceSC ATE Center of Excellence

Producing greater numbers of more Producing greater numbers of more highly skilled engineering highly skilled engineering technicians for the South Carolina technicians for the South Carolina economy.economy.

Preparing students for the Preparing students for the technology-intensive workplace of technology-intensive workplace of today -- and tomorrow.today -- and tomorrow.